Syracuse, N.Y.— Syracuse University has canceled its huge Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. event on Sunday due to forecasts for heavy snow and cold temperatures.
The event, held in the JMA Wireless Dome, has drawn about 2,000 people in past years. It’s described as the largest MLK event of its kind on any college campus.
“We do not make this decision lightly and recognize how meaningful this annual gathering is for our campus, the city of Syracuse and Central New York,” the university said in a message to the SU community Friday. “However, the safety and well-being of our community is our first priority.”
Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens, the city’s first Black mayor, was scheduled to be the speaker.
Owens was sworn into office on Jan. 3. Originally from Geneva, she studied economics at SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and was an athlete on the women’s track and field team.
University officials said they will provive information next week about rescheduling the event or processing refunds.